This summer, on my mother’s birthday, we held a memorial service honoring and celebrating her life. This is the eulogy I delivered. I’ve long felt that my mother was born at least a decade early. As the Baby Boomers dominated popular culture, more than once I heard her remark, ruefully, that she was part of … Read more
Twenty years ago I quit my job as a vice president at a top-10 PR firm. None of the things I’m doing now — author, professional speaker, workshop leader — were in my plan. Hell, I barely even had a plan. But it all worked out … better than I would have dreamed. As I … Read more
I’m pleased to report that I have found the secret to happiness. (Well, happiness may be a stretch. Let’s call it contentment, or satisfaction.) But it’s the reason that I can honestly say I have never had a bad year. And why I have trouble relating to the many social media posts every December bidding … Read more
Ahhhh, nothing beats that new website smell! Take a look around. I hope you like what you see. It’s the product of eight months of blood, sweat and tears. Well, maybe not blood. At least none of mine. I can’t speak for the programmers and designers. But I think it effectively captures who I am right now … Read more
Oops, we did it again! Biesenbaby 2 (aka, Lily) arrived on the scene at the end of July, which has put a serious dent in my productivity this summer, especially with helping run interference on Biesenbaby 1. Getting Teddy ready in the morning and taking him back and forth to daycare has turned my day into … Read more
This week, Teddy turns three months old. And with Karen’s return to work, it’s also his first full week of day care. For me that means I’ve got the house to myself again. It also spells the end of any dream I had to enter the lucrative and rewarding work of professional daddy blogging. It … Read more
What did I do on my summer vacation? I had a baby! Well, my wife did, actually. It’s been a little over two weeks and I still can’t quite believe it. As a Facebook friend said: I am still amazed that they handed me the baby, just like that. No special degree or anything. I’m a … Read more
Fifteen years ago this fall I struck out on my own, leaving a job as a vice president at Ogilvy PR to work independently. I started out doing what I’d been doing at the firm: corporate communications work for a variety of clients. Over the years, I added three other lines of work: acting (in … Read more
With the approach Thursday of the second anniversary of my father’s death, I’ve felt a sort of vague, tired lethargy that I recall from last year, too. Coincidentally or not, I just finished reading The Things They Carried, the beautiful and heartbreaking book of the Vietnam War, and that’s stirred up a lot of thoughts and emotions. … Read more
When I got married I became an honorary Alaskan, and for the past four summers we’d go up there in late July for the salmon run. This year we thought it prudent to skip the trip since we’re moving in August. And it’s a good thing we did, because I am now in the midst of … Read more